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Devices intended to allow the fabrication of micropipettes or needles from glass capillaries by first heating and then stretching the glass. Glass heating is typically accomplished via a metal filament through which electric current is passed or a laser. Force used to induce glass stretching may be provided by a motorized drive in the case of pullers that hold the capillary horizontally or by gravity with or without the assistance of a motorized drive in the case of pullers that hold the capillary vertically. These devices typically allow the user to modify the heat level and the timing and speed of glass stretching, which, in turn, alters the characteristics of the fabricated micropipette/needle (e.g., taper, tip size). Micropipettes/needles generated using these devices are used in various laboratory procedures including electrophysiology and single-cell injection studies.
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